TriMet union boss gets four days in jail for drunken driving, says he wants to become a role model

TriMet union boss Jonathan Hunt was sentenced today to four days in jail and two years of probation for drunken driving.

Hunt, 40, also will lose his driver's license for one year, but he is applying to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles for a hardship exception that would allow him to drive from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for his job.

After his sentencing hearing, Hunt said he is going to work hard to redeem himself.

"I made a mistake," Hunt said. "I'm going to use myself as a role model for others. It's not the mistakes that you make, but what you choose to do afterwards."

Hunt is the president of the union representing more than 2,000 TriMet operators, mechanics and support workers. He told Judge Cheryl Albrecht that his job requires him to drive throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. He said he will continue as union head despite the conviction.

He failed two of three field sobriety tests. A breathalyzer registered Hunt's blood alcohol level at 0.14 percent, but that result wasn't submitted to the jury because of procedural troubles in how police administered the test.

Hunt didn't testify, but police said he claimed he had two drinks about five hours before being stopped. Hunt's defense attorney, Robert Thuemmel, argued that Hunt wasn't impaired.

The judge also sentenced Hunt to 80 hours of community service, and to continue alcohol counseling he's already been undergoing. Hunt said in fulfilling that requirement, he's open to the idea of speaking about his drunken-driving experience or in some other way helping others to prevent drunken driving. The judge also said Hunt must check himself into jail sometime in the next day.